Written Answers Monday 19 May 2008

Scottish Executive

2014 Commonwealth Games

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the Glasgow Commonwealth Games bid document, whether it has budgeted to fund the full costs of upgrading of the Royal Commonwealth Pool.

Stewart Maxwell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3O-3097 on 1 May 2008. All answers to oral parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-08/sor0501-01.htm.

Forensic Science

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the second supplementary to question S3O-3214 by Kenny MacAskill on 8 May 2008 ( Official Report , c. 8447), when the consultation document on the future of the forensic science laboratory in Aberdeen will be made available on the Scottish Government’s website.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the second supplementary to question S3O-3214 by Kenny MacAskill on 8 May 2008 ( Official Report , c. 8447), how members of the public will be able to respond to the consultation process on the future of the forensic science laboratory in Aberdeen.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the second supplementary to question S3O-3214 by Kenny MacAskill on 8 May 2008 ( Official Report , c. 8447), when the consultation document on the future of the forensic science laboratory in Aberdeen will be sent to all interested parties, including staff, unions, police authorities, chief constables and regional procurators fiscal.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the second supplementary to question S3O-3214 by Kenny MacAskill on 8 May 2008 ( Official Report , c. 8447), when the consultation on the future of the forensic science laboratory in Aberdeen will end.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the second supplementary to question S3O-3214 by Kenny MacAskill on 8 May 2008 ( Official Report , c. 8447), whether forensic service staff will be able to respond to the consultation on the future of the forensic science laboratory in Aberdeen anonymously, if they so wish.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the second supplementary to question S3O-3214 by Kenny MacAskill on 8 May 2008 ( Official Report , c. 8447) regarding the consultation on the future of the forensic science laboratory in Aberdeen, how it will consult the general public in areas affected by the closure proposals.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the second supplementary to question S3O-3214 by Kenny MacAskill on 8 May 2008 ( Official Report , c. 8447) regarding the consultation on the future of the forensic science laboratory in Aberdeen, how it will consult MSPs and other elected representatives on closure proposals.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the second supplementary to question S3O-3214 by Kenny MacAskill on 8 May 2008 ( Official Report , c. 8447), to whom responses to the consultation on the future of the forensic science laboratory in Aberdeen should be addressed.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the second supplementary to question S3O-3214 by Kenny MacAskill on 8 May 2008 ( Official Report , c. 8447), when it plans to announce the outcome of the consultation on the future of the forensic science laboratory in Aberdeen.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the second supplementary to question S3O-3214 by Kenny MacAskill on 8 May 2008 ( Official Report , c. 8447), why the Cabinet Secretary for Justice has now decided to carry out a full, frank and transparent consultation on the future of the forensic science laboratory in Aberdeen and whether it will make a ministerial statement on the matter.

Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-12818 on 16 May 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Housing

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether local councils will be asked to bid for a share of the £25 million incentive scheme for building council houses.

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the criteria will be for deciding which councils receive a share of the £25 million scheme for building council houses.

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many council houses will be built each year with the £25 million incentive scheme for building council houses.

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the £25 million incentive schemes for building council houses will go to local authorities where tenants voted against stock transfer.

Stewart Maxwell: I refer the member to the question S3W-12723 on 13 May 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Housing

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many householders received help from the Mortgage to Rent scheme in 2007-08.

Stewart Maxwell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-12362 on 8 May 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Housing

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many home repossessions there were in 2007-08.

Stewart Maxwell: The information requested is not available.

National Health Service

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-11099 by Nicola Sturgeon on 14 April 2008, how it accounts for the rise in clinical negligence payouts between 2005-06 and 2006-07; what impact these payouts had on budgets originally aimed at delivering frontline services; what steps are being taken to ensure that there is accountability for errors made; how many staff have been disciplined and by what methods, and whether it believes that steps can be taken to reduce the incidence of clinical negligence in the NHS in future years.

Nicola Sturgeon: The rise in clinical negligence payments between 2005-06 and 2006-07 is attributed to a larger than normal number of high-value settlements, mostly birth related cases which can take several years to settle.

  The Scottish Government operates an insurance scheme to indemnify boards against fluctuations in the awards of claims each year. This covers most of the value of claims that boards expect to be awarded and their contributions are based on an actuarial assessment of claims outstanding each year to minimise the impact on their funding.

  NHS boards are required to comply with clinical governance standards advised and monitored by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland. They are also required to comply with Scottish Government Staff Governance Standards. NHS boards are subject to audit and are required to sign a Statement on Internal Control that includes compliance with these standards. This should ensure that appropriate disciplinary procedures are applied in respect of failures to apply appropriate guidance by NHS bodies and their staff.

  Information on disciplinary action resulting from cases of medical negligence is not held centrally.

  Patient safety is a major strategic development priority for NHS Scotland. The Scottish Patient Safety Alliance and Programme will systematically aim to reduce harm to patients as a result of health care interventions. This is the first time that a patient safety programme will have been implemented across a whole health care system, and it signals the Scottish Government’s absolute determination to secure improvements for those using the NHS, and for those who work in it.

National Health Service

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people died in each year since 1997 as a result of NHS negligence.

Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Scottish Government

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will make an announcement on the outcome of the consultation on independent scrutiny.

Nicola Sturgeon: The report of the outcome of the independent scrutiny consultation is now available at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/Recent and copies are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 45609).

  You will note from the report that the majority of respondents indicated that:

  independent scrutiny was a positive step forward which would improve public confidence in relation to major service changes;

  the consultation paper’s preferred model of independent scrutiny, the expert panel, was seen as the best option - the strength of the scrutiny panel approach being the independence and skill mix of the panel members;

  the role of the panel should be to assess the safety, sustainability, evidence base and value for money of proposals for major service change, and

  the panel should assess the evidence and options during the process of public engagement prior to consultation and provide a commentary on these that would be available to the board and ministers in reaching decisions.

  I would also like to take this opportunity to reiterate some of the other key messages from my opening address at the parliamentary debate on this subject. Specifically, that:

  independent scrutiny will only be applied to cases of major service change and only where the benefits outweigh the costs. This will be judged on a case-by-case basis by ministers but the bar will be set high;

  independent scrutiny will take place early in the process and will help to ensure that there is an agreed evidence base for the subsequent decision-making process, including option appraisal. Should issues relating to the evidence emerge later, it would be possible to reconvene the panel, and

  there is a delineation between the current role of the Scottish Health Council (assessing NHS board process of engagement) and the role of independent scrutiny panels (scrutinising the evidence and options for change).

Sport

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to establish high-performance sports centres to train Scottish sportsmen and women.

Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government through its work with sportscotland under the National and Regional Sports Facilities Strategy are investing in a range of new and enhanced facilities across Scotland some of which will be designated as high-performance centres. These facilities are of a standard that will enable Scottish performance athletes to train in Scotland.

  It should also be noted that there are a number of established sport specific and generic high-performance training centres already existing throughout Scotland.

Sport

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive for which sports it plans to establish high-performance sports centres to train Scottish sportsmen and women.

Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government, working with sportscotland, has established the following sports specific high performance sports centres in Scotland:

  Hockey:

  National Hockey Academy, Peffermill, Edinburgh.

  National Sports Centre, Inverclyde.

  Tennis:

  Scottish National Tennis Centre, University of Stirling.

  Craiglockhart Sports Centre, Edinburgh.

  Swimming and Diving:

  National Swimming Academy, University of Stirling.

  Royal Commonwealth Pool, Edinburgh.

  Tollcross Park Leisure Centre, Glasgow.

  Football:

  National Stadium, Hampden Park, Glasgow.

  Football academies based at Rangers FC; Highland Football Academy Trust (Ross County and Inverness Caledonian Thistle), Heriot Watt University (in association with Heart of Midlothian FC).

  Badminton:

  National Badminton Academy, Scotstoun Leisure Centre, Glasgow.

  Watersports:

  Scottish Sailing Institute, Largs

  National Canoe Centre, Grandtully near Aberfeldy

  Scottish National Water Ski Centre, Dunfermline

  National Rowing Academy, Strathclyde Country Park.

  Judo:

  National Judo Academy, Ratho, Edinburgh.

  Equestrianism:

  Scottish National Equestrian Centre, Oatridge College, West Lothian.

  Climbing:

  National Rock Climbing Centre, Ratho, Edinburgh.

  Cricket:

  National Indoor Cricket Centre, Edinburgh.

  Lawn Bowls:

  National Bowling Centre, Ayr.

  Croquet:

  National Croquet, The Meadows, Edinburgh.

  Mountain Biking:

  Mountain Downhill Biking, Aonach Mhor, Fort William.

  Squash:

  Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh.

  Orienteering:

  National Centre, Glenmore Lodge.

  Projects developed through the National and Regional Sports Facilities Strategy will support the needs of athletes by providing a network of training and competition facilities such as the new National Indoor Sports Arena and Velodrome in Glasgow and a network of indoor athletics training facilities.

  It should also be noted that sportscotland’s three national centres provide training grounds for professional athletes across a range of sports. The three national centres are at Glenmore Lodge; Inverclyde and Cumbrae.

  Throughout Scotland we have provided a network of state of the art strength and conditioning facilities. Also, available to support the development of high performance sports centres in Scotland is the provision of a range of services by the Scottish Institute of Sport, the high-performance arm of sportscotland, and the area network.

Sport

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to encourage Scottish, UK and international sportsmen and women to locate and train in Scotland.

Stewart Maxwell: Sportscotland is working with Scottish Governing Bodies to ensure they can establish a quality national training base in Scotland.

  They are also working with the UK Sport and UK Governing Bodies to attract more British programmes to Scotland by offering the appropriate environment for elite athletes to live and train. Our aim is to encourage more elite athletes to locate and train in Scotland by providing world-class facilities and support service provision.

Student Finance

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether full-time students living in shared accommodation with other full-time students are liable to pay council tax.

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the First Minister’s statement on 17 April 2008 that higher education students pay council tax dependent on where they stay ( Official Report , c. 7686), what the relationship is between the location or type of accommodation of full-time higher education students and their liability to pay council tax

John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-12347 on 2 May 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .